But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
"Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead." Paul wrote that as a man with plenty behind him worth either bragging about or regretting — depending on the day. He chose not to live anchored to either.
Most of us carry our past like cargo, whether it's the version we're proud of or the version we can't stop replaying. Both can weigh the same amount. Both can keep you from actually moving.
What's striking here isn't that the past didn't matter to Paul — it's that he refused to let it be the finish line. He describes straining forward, which isn't a passive posture; it's effort, aimed at something ahead rather than something already used up. If you're someone who feels defined by what's behind you — good or bad — this verse is quietly suggesting that isn't the whole story, and it doesn't have to be yours.
If your past feels like it's still writing your story, it's worth finding out whether Jesus offers a different pen.
A short video on this is coming soon — for now, read on.